Editing Nirj Deva (section)

==Lobbying==
Whilst an MP Deva served as a consultant for tobacco manufacturer [[Rothmans International|Rothmans]], builders [[John Laing plc|Laing]] and power station equipment manufacturer [[KHD]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Chris|first1=Blackhurst|last2=Rentoul|first2=John|title=Hamilton role 'close to paid advocacy'|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/hamilton-role-close-to-paid-advocacy-1346296.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220621/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/hamilton-role-close-to-paid-advocacy-1346296.html |archive-date=21 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|newspaper=[[The Independent]]|date=9 May 1996|authorlink1=Chris Blackhurst|authorlink2=John Rentoul}}</ref> Following the [[cash-for-questions affair]] Deva was amongst a number of MPs who were investigated by an official inquiry led by [[Gordon Downey]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Best|first=Shaun|title=Introduction to Politics and Society|date=2001|publisher=[[SAGE Publications]]|page=201|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CBob9jF0cWwC|isbn=9781847876171}}</ref> The inquiry found that Deva had [[no case to answer]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Downey|first=Gordon|title=VIII. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199798/cmselect/cmstnprv/030i/sp0143.htm|work=Select Committee on Standards and Privileges First Report|publisher=[[Parliament of the United Kingdom]]|authorlink=Gordon Downey|date=27 March 1997}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=The sleaze report: 20 are cleared by the findings|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/the-sleaze-report-20-are-cleared-by-the-findings-1248837.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220621/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/the-sleaze-report-20-are-cleared-by-the-findings-1248837.html |archive-date=21 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|newspaper=[[The Independent]]|date=4 July 1997}}</ref>

Deva used an official European Parliament trip to [[Barbados]] in 2009 to promote Symphony Environmental Technologies, a company from which he received £33,000 a year for being its chairman.<ref>{{cite news|last=Kennedy|first=Dominic|title=Nirj Deva MEP promoted business interests on expenses-paid EU visit|url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/nirj-deva-mep-promoted-business-interests-on-expenses-paid-eu-visit-9v20plqwgr7|newspaper=[[The Times]]|date=29 May 2009}}</ref>

Deva lobbies extensively for the [[Sri Lankan government]] and founded the Friends of Sri Lanka group in the European Parliament.<ref>{{cite web|title=Declaration of Members' Financial Interests|url=http://www.europarl.europa.eu/ep-dif/4556_20-07-2009.pdf|publisher=[[European Parliament]]|date=20 July 2009}}</ref> He is regarded as an unofficial "Ambassador-at-Large for Sri Lanka".<ref>{{cite news|title=Member of European Parliament envisages converting Tamils to Buddhism|url=http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?artid=26500&catid=79|newspaper=[[TamilNet]]|date=30 July 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=This is Paradise: So much of right royal baloney|url=http://www.thesundayleader.lk/archive/20081109/paradise.htm|newspaper=[[The Sunday Leader]]|date=9 November 2008}}</ref>